No, I don't mean those refrigerator magnets with the serenity prayer on them in Gothic lettering, nor those praying hands that look like they got chopped off somebody's corpse in a morgue. Most of the people I know who've found lasting happiness in sobriety, myself included, are those who've discovered, nurtured and disciplined in themselves the pursuit of some craft, skill or art that engages them creatively in their daily lives, prodding them to both seek and then eventually find the world around them an inexhaustible source of self-transcendence in the aesthetic "wow" rather than an obstacle course to navigate without drinking.

I've been recently inspired to paint. I'm interested to see my thoughts on this topic as that unfolds.

Recently, My son and I worked on Pinewood derby cars for his Boy Scout troop. We made 2 really cool cars and we did quite well in the derby - we actually advanced to the district level. I hadn't done any wood work in years. I had a blast, and Deven did as well.

part of the benefit in tasks like woodworking, or these things you mentioned (your photography?), it gets my head and my hands in the same place at the same time. Focus, awareness, consciousness.

I've been recently inspired to paint. I'm interested to see my thoughts on this topic as that unfolds.

Recently, My son and I worked on Pinewood derby cars for his Boy Scout troop. We made 2 really cool cars and we did quite well in the derby - we actually advanced to the district level. I hadn't done any wood work in years. I had a blast, and Deven did as well.

part of the benefit in tasks like woodworking, or these things you mentioned (your photography?), it gets my head and my hands in the same place at the same time. Focus, awareness, consciousness.

I think we misunderstand serenity if we take it to mean the elimination of all that energy we used to put into resentment, anxiety and self-pity. I now see the whole process of hitting bottom with alcohol as an imperative or an insistent calling, if you will, from my subconscious to do something with all that energy. And it really has nothing to do with winning contests or making a splash or anything like that, but just doing what really turns us on. The goal of the effort, the masterpiece, is self transformed-- energy transmuted, as Bill put it in one of his essays on the steps.

Oh - when I said I had a blast - the cars doing well in the derby was inconsequential. really just a pleasant surprise.The enjoyable part was what went into creating the cars, along with the chance to do that with someone I really enjoy.

Serenity - peace of mind - means something different today than it has in the past. Today it means I'm OK with me just as I am. Turns out it's not something I had to develop, rather something I had to become aware of. It was there all the time.

The steps - I had the idea they were supposed to change me and make me "not Mike". Nope. That idea was based in the self. I didn't like "me" so we got to get rid of "me". But all of that was just self-created fiction between my ears. Turns out Mike is OK. We need that guy around.

This just occurred to me; creative activity - such as wood working, painting, photography - things I would lump under a heading of "art" or "craft" use a different side of the brain than the one that holds that word-for-word obsessive thing I used to refer to as thought. You know, the part of the mind that caused me trouble for so long, because I wouldn't use it properly :p.

I feel like I have grown immensely in the past 9 1/2 months... my first months in recovery.

I did, in fact, find that I was spending so much precious energy on negativity in general. now, through the 12 steps, and, honestly, the spiritual principles of the steps, I am learning how to channel my energy in a more constructive and creative way.

I feel like I have grown immensely in the past 9 1/2 months... my first months in recovery.

I did, in fact, find that I was spending so much precious energy on negativity in general. now, through the 12 steps, and, honestly, the spiritual principles of the steps, I am learning how to channel my energy in a more constructive and creative way.

I think we misunderstand serenity if we take it to mean the elimination of all that energy we used to put into resentment, anxiety and self-pity. I now see the whole process of hitting bottom with alcohol as an imperative or an insistent calling, if you will, from my subconscious to do something with all that energy. And it really has nothing to do with winning contests or making a splash or anything like that, but just doing what really turns us on. The goal of the effort, the masterpiece, is self transformed-- energy transmuted, as Bill put it in one of his essays on the steps.

. Hi all.I agree with you cherubino.Though, I did understand exactly what you, Mike, were saying--I got that it was not the winning or anyhting but the the art of woodworking and, sharing it all wiht your son. .:-) I agree that doing something that just matters to us, somethig we have a passion for is so very meaningful.I have to admit I have a problem wiht it though--a real pain in the neck one.I write, some poetry, some other stuff.When I was younger, much younger I wrote stories and I still get ideas.The last time I was thinking of a short story, I was walking my dog at about 5 am, and was looking at the sky, and dreaming up this story--and I felt wonderful---but then managed to fal into a deep hole because I wasn't looking where I was walking.That was kind of funny actually,:-) but it wasn't at the time because it caused me great physical pain, and of course I stopped all thoughts of writing. I do nothing almost.I haven't even written any poetry in awhile.Another writer said something not long ago to me the effect of "well, those of us who have done this for a living, do it[writing] because we just have to.' I felt dismissed, and while to anyone else telling me this I would say 'oh who cares', *I* immediately get stuck down inside somewhere.I don't mean she just ruined it all for me -no.I mean I know better in a way, but obviously I do not, really.Many yrs ago, a boyfriend of mine commented on writing I shoed him that one thing I wrote was interesting, but he liked "other things in writing".Years later, (this had all been was when I was sober about 10 months), he stated clearly that he was jealous and competitive wiht everyone else's writing, and hadn't meant that.But it's as though those barbs stick, and stay in me.I always always feel foolish--no matter.I could list plenty of other things I like and that "turn me on" in the spiritual & creative sort of way--but as soon as I catch myself involved I easily feel unowrthy or foolish. I know this isn't truly a 12 step or addiction issue, but I guess I'm sharing it to be honest about where I'm at. It is a *recovery* issue because as cherubino said by starting this thread, it's so very important to have a passion, a real interest--not necessarily a money-making one, nor a talent that makes us famous--just something we love--but while I have some of those things, I hide them still. I sound like a confused blocked newcomer, I know.But that's how it is for me.I stop myself.I know i usually have somethig more postive to say, but this is the truth.You who know me knowI'm sick a lot that I'm in physical pain--butI know some other people with my condition have pushed themselves to write, and I only write in my journal now and then.Anyway, that's it.oh--btw, I'm glad I'm back here.I had a very bad flu that led to something worse and I was sick for months--didn't even come on line for awhile. Hello everyone!:-)